Buttle Lake

Image:2015-05-05 Buttle Lake 5182.jpg

The lake was named after John Buttle, geologist and botanist from Kew Gardens, London, who came to the area with the Royal Engineers. They mapped the area around the lake in 1865.{{cite book | last =Walbran | first =Captain John T. | title =British Columbia Place Names, Their Origin and History | url =http://www.nosracines.ca/e/toc.aspx?id=3545 | place =Vancouver | publisher =Douglas & McIntyre | year =1971 | edition =Facsimile reprint of 1909 | isbn =978-0-88894-143-5 | oclc =34583503 | page =75 | access-date =2009-03-25 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20160303220337/http://www.nosracines.ca/e/toc.aspx?id=3545 | archive-date =2016-03-03 | url-status =dead }} Buttle explored Vancouver Island as a naturalist under Dr Robert Brown as part of the Vancouver Island Exploring Expedition in 1864.{{BCGNIS|9318|Buttle Lake}} He discovered and mapped the lake the next year.{{Citation | last =Akrigg | first =G.P.V. | last2 =Akrigg | first2 =Helen B. | title =British Columbia Place Names | place =Vancouver | publisher =UBC Press | year =1986 | edition =3rd, 1997 | isbn =0-7748-0636-2 | url-access =registration | url =https://archive.org/details/britishcolumbiap0000akri_w1q9 }}{{rp|34}}

During 1955–1958, the Strathcona Dam was built on Upper Campbell Lake, raising the water level by {{convert|30|m}}.{{cite web|url=https://www.bchydro.com/community/recreation_areas/strathcona_dam.html|title=Strathcona Dam|publisher=BC Hydro}} The raised water level coalesced Upper Campbell and Buttle Lake, raising the level of Buttle by 5 meters. Prior to the increase, {{convert|600|ha}} of forest at low-lying areas along the shore was harvested, and in many areas not fully cleared.{{cite journal|last1= Keeling|first1= Arn|last2= Wynn|first2= Graeme|date= Summer 2011|url= https://bcstudies.com/issue-single/bc-studies-no-170-summer-2011/|journal= BC Studies|volume= 170|access-date=2020-06-01|title=The Park...is a mess: Development and Degradation in British Columbia's First Provincial Park}} At times of low water, there exist mudflats with stumps remaining from the forests that formerly stood there.{{Cite journal |last=Keeling |first=Arn |last2=Wynn |first2=Graeme |date=2011-08-30 |title="The Park...Is a Mess": Development and Degradation in British Columbia's First Provincial Park |journal=BC Studies: The British Columbian Quarterly |pages=119–150 |doi=10.14288/BCS.V0I170.2004}}

File:Canoeing Buttle Lake, Strathcona Provincial Park.jpg

The lake is accessed via Strathcona Provincial Park which is located almost in the center of Vancouver Island. The main access to the park is via Highway 28, which connects with Gold River on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Highway 28 passes through the northern section of the park and provides access to Buttle Lake.{{Cite web|url=http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/strath/#Location|title=Strathcona Provincial Park - BC Parks|last=Environment|first=Ministry of|website=www.env.gov.bc.ca|language=en|access-date=2018-04-22}}

There are multiple campgrounds along Buttle Lake. Hiking, swimming, boating, fishing and bicycling are common activities in the area.

• List of lakes of British Columbia

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• {{cite web|url=http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/topo/map |title=Toporama - Topographic Map Sheets 92F12, 92F13 |work=Atlas of Canada |publisher=Natural Resources Canada |accessdate=2010-02-01 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100831093006/http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/topo/map |archivedate=2010-08-31 }}

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• [http://www.bcadventure.com/adventure/explore/island/central/buttle.htm Details at B.C. Adventure]
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Category:Lakes of Vancouver Island

Category:Nootka Land District

Category:Alberni Valley

Category:Strathcona Provincial Park

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